London with Grannie and Grandpa

We actually managed a fairly early start on Saturday, leaving the house around 9.00am and, following a quick stop at Wychwood Kennels to drop off Mog, we had a very easy journey down the M6 and M1 to St. Albans, where lunch with Lindsey and Stuart awaited. It was sausages (yeah!), so we all ate well, especially Tom, and I discovered the delights of Levi Roots Reggae Reggae tomato ketchup. I've never liked ketchup, but I do now. Tom was a bit grumpy to start with, but we took him for a game of skittles on the lawn (he's a terrible cheat) and he spent ages playing with Stuart's BigTrak (retro 80s toy), which he pushed round their flat over and over again.

After lunch, Nik headed for London with the girls for a Dirty Dancing matinee in the West End, and Tom and I got back in the car to drive to London. He didn't seem to mind being parted from Mummy and he was also impeccably behaved in the car, despite the London end of the journey being very slow.

He took around 20 seconds to settle in at Grannie & Grandpa's, then got stuck into his ever growing stash of toys. His tiger trike is now the perfect size for him, and the wheelbarrow was just as popular as last time. He basically spent all afternoon playing happily, ate an OK-ish tea, had a good bath, and then refused to go to bed after his milk & story. He just kept pointing at the bedroom door as if to say "I'm not finished playing yet". However, he'd only had half an hour's sleep all day (in the car, just after we left Telford), so exhaustion overcame rage very quickly and he had a great sleep, waking only once for a cough.

Sunday looked like being nice, and Grannie thought a trip to Windsor might interest the lad. 5 is a bit of a squeeze in the Lancer, so it was decided that the girls would go in the car and the boys would take the train. A good plan, as it turned out - Tom sat on my knee (in the first class car) for the whole 40 minute journey, seemingly fascinated by the view from the window. I was delighted, and not a little surprised. In fact, he sat still for so long that my legs went to sleep. We arrived at Windsor station to find Mummy & Grannie waiting at the end of the platform, but Tom was extremely reluctant to move away from his beloved train, remaining rooted to the platform and dissolving into tears when I led him away.

It didn't last long though - we walked into town and went to the old station for a coffee. He toddled round quite nicely and seemed genuinely interested in his surroundings. We went for some tapas at La Tasca for lunch - we enjoyed it, but Tom was a bit bolshy and wouldn't each much. After lunch, though, he walked very nicely, stopping only to wave at the numerous aircraft on their way to Heathrow and stare at a huge flock of swans on the Thames. We decided to let him have a bit of time in a playground, which he enjoyed as always, and I then put him on my shoulders for the short walk back to the station. If there were any doubts about whether he would have been better going back in the car, they were dispelled by a huge "YEAH!" when he spotted the train in the platform. Very touching. He sat very nicely on my knee again, but after 20 minutes or so, it was all too much and he fell into a deep sleep, which lasted all the way to Mortlake, most of the walk home and then for another hour in his cot.

He then proceeded to eat a mammoth dinner, have another good bath and hit the hay with no protest whatsoever.

A lovely day, and one which has prompted us to make our next trip to London a longer one. He really enjoys his time there.